Urinal device with disposable container



Jan. 7, 1969 Q w. H. CROSBY I 3 URINAL DEVICE WITH DISPOSABLE CONTAINER Filed Aug. 26, 1966 l/VVENZ'O/Z, IW/LL/ /mU IES CQOSBK United States Patent Claims The present invention relates to urinal devices and more particularly it relates to urinal devices having disposable containers. The invention finds particular utility for bedridden male patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and the like. It has also been found to be a desirable accessory when traveling by automobile or train, or when camping, particularly for use by small children when comfort facilities are not readily accessible or available.

The need for such a disposable device in hospitals or nursing homes is often necessitated by (a) the lack of an adequate supply of costly conventional urinals due to breakage, etc.; (b) the cost of installing and maintaining cleansing and sterilization equipment for conventional urinals; (c) the inability to obtain and retain unskilled labor which is necessary to service conventional urinals; and (d) the storage space requirements for such conventional urinals.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a urinal which is durable, compact, light in weight and also includes a readily removable container that may be discarded or sealed to retain its contents for urinalysis.

Another object of the invention is to provide a urinal having a collapsible, readily removable container whereina support unit of relatively low cost is provided for such collapsible container.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a urinal having a collapsible removable container in which the removable container is readily disposable, can be produced in mass quantities and is of very low cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide a disposable container for a urinal which is collapsible and may be stored in collapsed condition, stacked one on top the other.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a urinal device which includes a support means constructed in such a manner that a plurality of such support means may be stacked in nested relationship.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a support unit for a disposable urine container which is constructed of a material which when placed in contact with the body of the user will cause little or no discomfort, such as Would be experienced if the support unit were formed of ceramic or metallic material.

The invention will be better understood, and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent, after reading the following detailed description thereof. Such description refers to the annexed drawings presenting preferred and illustrative embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a urinal device including a disposable container assembled in a support unit;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the urinal device prior to assembly of the disposable container with the support unit;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view through a pair of stacked container support units; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of support unit.

Referring now to the drawings, it is to be noted that FIGURE 1 shows a urinal device generally designated '8, such device including a support unit A for a flexible disposable container B and a coupling means C for securing the container to the support unit. In FIGURE 2, the support unit A is similar to that of FIGURE 1 except a modified form of coupling means C is utilized. Also, in FIGURE 2, the disposable flexible container B is removed from the support unit.

Referring more particularly to the support unit shown in FIGURE 2, it will be noted that such unit comprises an open ended, shallow, pan-shaped portion 10'. The panshaped portion 10 is formed of any well known commercially available plastic which is of low thermal conductivity. While the use of a material of low conductivity is not essential, it is desirable in order that the user of the urinal avoid the discomfort which would otherwise be experienced if the urinal were made of ceramic or metallic material which is cold to the touch. The open ended portion 10 of the supportis approximately ten inches long, six inches wide and three-quarters of an inch in height. The open ended portion 10 includes a flat bottom wall 12, a pair of upwardly and outwardly divergent parallel side walls 14 extending from and forming a continuation of said bottom wall 12, and an upwardly and outwardly directed arcuate rear wall 16 extending from said bottom Wall 12 and forming a continuation of the side walls 14. The bottom wall may, if desired, be provided with a longitudinally extending upstanding reinforcing rib 15.

The support unit is provided with a body engaging end wall portion 18 which is of less width than the bottom Wall 12 and directed upwardly and outwardly relative to bottom wall 12. The body engaging portion 18 is secured to and is preferably integral with the bottom wall 12 and side walls 14 by an intermediate portion 20. The intermediate portion 20 includes an arcuate lower section 22 which is secured to and extends between the body engaging portion 18 and bottom wall 12. The intermediate portion 20 is also provided with side walls or sections 24 which extend divergently outwardly and upwardly from lower section 22 and outwardly and divergently from body engaging portion 18. The side walls 14, rear wall 16, body engaging wall portion 18 and side sections 24 all terminate in a bead 25.

The body engaging end wall portion 18 of the support unit is provided with an aperture means or opening 26, preferably circular in configuration. The coupling means C of the present invention preferably is formed as a ring, eyelet or annulus, fabricated of any suitable material. Such coupling means C includes a tubular portion 28, circular in cross section, arranged to be received in aperture means 26 with a reasonably snug fit, which is nevertheless loose enough to permit the container B to be interposed between the portion 28 and the border of the aperture means 26. The coupling means C is also provided with a flange portion 30 which extends transversely of tubular portion 28, and which has an extent in excess of the diameter of the aperture means 26.

As has been previously pointed out, the function of the support unit is to support a saggy, inexpensive, flexible readily disposable open ended bag B which, chemically, is relatively inert to urine. Cellophane has been found to be one of a number of materials which meets these requirements. Moreover, the bags B are provided with folds 32 along their lateral edges so that they may be folded flat as illustrated in FIGURE 2 when not in use. The open end portion of the bag B is designated 34.

When it is desired to place the urinal into use, the open end of bag B is inserted through opening 26 with the end portion 34 thereof overlapping said opening and projecting at least partially along the end wall portion 18. The coupling means C is then inserted into the open end of the bag, whereupon the tubular portion 28 serves to sandwich the bag against the border of the aperture means 26 and the flange portion 30 serves to press the projecting portion of the bag against the end wall portion 18.

It can thus be seen that the coupling means C of the present invention serves to releasably secure the bag B to the support unit A, thereby creating an assembled urinal device. Due to the fact that the coupling means includes an opening, as circumscribed by the tubular portion 28, the user can introduce urine into the interior of the bag B. Then, a nurse or attendant can remove the filled bag B, merely by digitally releasing the coupling means C. Thereafter, the filled bag B can be suitably disposed of, or alternatively, can be used to provide a specimen for urinalysis.

In the arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 1, which is not the preferred arrangement, the coupling ring C is unattached to the support unit and as -a result may be misplaced when the need therefor arises. To avoid this possibility, the preferred arrangement of the present invention has the eyelet C permanently attached to the support unit, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. In FIGURE 2, an endless loop 36 passes through the tubular portion 28 and a slot 37 in the end wall 18 to thereby freely attach the coupling means to the end wall portion 18.

FIGURE 4 shows a modified form of device wherein coupling means C is permanently attached to support unit A by a flexible strip member or ribbon 38. The ribbon 38 extends integrally from the flange portion 30 of the coupling means to the upper edge of the end wall portion 18.

A significant feature characteristic of all the several forms relates to the provision of a portion having upwardly and outwardly divergent side walls, an upwardly and outwardly directed rear wall and upwardly and outwardly divergent intermediate side wall portions. By this construction, the support units may be nested one within the other thereby reducing the amount of space required for their storage to a minimum.

Similarly, the folded, flat disposable containers B may be stacked for shipment or storage in a minimum of space.

After reading the foregoing detailed description, it will be apparent that the objects set forth initially have been successfully achieved. Accordingly,

What is claimed is: 1. A urinal device comprising: an elongated open ended flexible disposable container; a support unit for said container; said support unit including an elongated base portion upon which said container rests and an upstanding end wall portion having aperture means therewithin;

said open end of said container projecting through said aperture means and extending at least partially beyond said support unit; and

coupling means movably mounted upon said end wall portion;

said coupling means including a member insertable within said open end of said container and within said aperture means to thereby releasably lock said 30 said member having an opening therein to permit access to the interior of said container to permit urine to be introduced thereinto;

said coupling means being manually releasable to unlock said container from said support means to enable a filled container to be removed therefrom.

2. A urinal device as defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling means is formed as a ring member.

3. In a urinal device including an open ended disposable urine receiving container and a support unit therefor, the improvement in said support unit compising an open topped elongated pan means for supporting said container, said pan means including a substantially flat bottom wall, integral upstanding outwardly directed side walls and integral upstanding outwardly directed end walls, one of said end walls having a height in excess of said side walls, said one end wall having aperture means therein above the top of said side walls and coupling means mounted in the open end of said disposable container within said aperture means.

4. The improvement defined in claim 3 further including intermediate wall portions extending angularly between said one end wall and said side walls to thereby continuously connect said one end wall and said side walls, the other of said end walls extending between said side walls and being integrally attached thereto.

5. The improvement defined in claim 3 further including coupling means secured to said one end wall, said coupling means being detachably mounted in the open end of said disposable container within said aperture means.

6. The improvement defined in claim 5 wherein said coupling means is formed as a ring member.

7. The improvement defined in claim 6 wherein the coupling means is secured to the one end wall by a ribbon formed integrally with said coupling means and said one end wall.

8. The improvement defined in claim 5 wherein the coupling means is secured to said one end wall by an endless loop.

9. The improvement defined in claim 3 wherein said one end wall has outwardly directed side walls connected to and forming a continuation of said integral upstanding outwardly directed side walls.

10. The improvement defined in claim 9 wherein said support unit is formed of relatively rigid plastic material and the bottom wall is provided with an upstanding reinforcing rib.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,447,429 3/1948 Procter 41 12 2,866,980 1/1959 Huntington 4142. 3,005,994 10/1961 Heit 4-142 3,061,840 11/1962 Presseisen 4-113 3,069,693 12/1962 Brodsky 4-112 3,115,644 12/1963 Bloodworth 4-112 3,249,950 5/1966 Wilson 4--112 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. HENRY K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A URINAL DEVICE COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED OPEN ENDED FLEXIBLE DISPOSABLE CONTAINER; A SUPPORT UNIT FOR SAID CONTAINER; SAID SUPPORT UNIT INCLUDING AN ENLONGATED BASE PORTION UPON WHICH SAID CONTAINER RESTS AND AN UPSTANDING END WALL PORTION HAVING APERTURE MEANS THEREWITHIN; SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER PROJECTING THROUGH SAID APERTURE MEANS AND EXTENDING AT LEAST PARTIALLY BEYOND SAID SUPPORT UNIT; AND COUPLING MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID END WALL PORTION; SAID COUPLING MEANS INCLUDING A MEMBER INSERTABLE WITHIN SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER AND WITHIN SAID APERTURE MEANS TO THEREBY RELEASABLY LOCK SAID CONTAINER AGAINST THAT PORTION OF SAID END WALL PORTION CIRCUMSCRIBING SAID APERTURE MEANS; 